LETTERS: NORTH COUNTY, MARCH 26, 2013

Unsubstantiated allegations

The March 16 editorial, “Better government runs into closed minds in Oceanside,” criticizes a recent vote of council member Jack Feller. In the editorial, the U-T San Diego North County wrote, “We lack the details to judge whether a recent harbor operations proposal is worthy.”

Responsible journalists investigate the details before they write their editorials. That way, readers get facts, not unsubstantiated allegations.

George McNeil

Oceanside

Don’t pull a King Solomon

In the last several weeks, I have spent hours at Carlsbad Planning Commission meetings, listening to testimony and deliberations over the proposed Quarry Creek development.

Members of the community spoke eloquently about how they treasure the Buena Vista Creek Valley — the sacred El Salto Waterfall, historic adobe, creek and wildlife.

I have long known how priceless this area is. The faces of schoolchildren, their letters and artwork express wonder and excitement after visiting the area.

This valley and the lands around the historic Marron-Hayes Adobe are a regional treasure.

When the planning commissioners made the decision to recommend a slight reduction in the size of this proposed enormous development, preserving one-third of the panhandle, I am sure they thought they were doing something good for the area.

But their decision, like that of King Solomon, was a bad one: You can no more cut a priceless, irreplaceable treasure in half or thirds than you can cut the baby in half or thirds and expect survival.

Please ask our Carlsbad mayor and city council to make a better decision than King Solomon’s. Save the entire panhandle and save the history of Carlsbad for everyone.

Joyce Gammon

Founder, Friends of the Buena Vista Creek

Carlsbad

Encinitas election a waste of money

Re: “Encinitas taxpayers fleeced by costly vote,” March 16: Since 1999, I have provided my office as a polling place for elections in Cardiff — presidential, primaries and local. The lame decision by the Encinitas City Council to hold a special election at a cost to taxpayers of $350,000 on June 18 for an issue that should be handled by our elected officials has made me rethink closing my office once again for a full business day this June.

Can’t this issue wait until a regularly scheduled election at no cost to taxpayers? Or not at all?

If the council finds this issue so important, they should open their own homes and offices as polling spots.

Regrettably, my office will not be available. I will miss seeing all my neighbors coming by to vote.

Since our elected officials can’t resist spending our money, the $350,000 funds could better be used toward a wayside horn system, as the city of Del Mar has done. This would be a much smarter way to allot funds, and a true benefit to thousands of Encinitas and Cardiff residents who are impacted by the train horns.

Kurt Hubert

Cardiff

The Republican quagmire

Everyone will have to remember which party introduced the American people to Sarah Palin. And they can’t get rid of her. I truly feel for John McCain because I think he thought Palin would get him to the White House — not so!

I, a Democrat, would have seriously thought of voting for him if he had chosen Mitt Romney at that time. But he didn’t and the rest is history.

And now the world knows how things can really go wrong for a political party. She keeps showing up with her cheap tricks — no substance to her speeches, just bully taunting. At least Romney took his defeat with class.

Sylvia Clark

Escondido

Relevancy of Second Amendment

Bruce Thompson (“Relevancy of the Second Amendment,” March 18) believes that the Second Amendment is obsolete. I wonder if he believes that the other nine amendments in the Bill of Rights are also obsolete?

The first ten amendments were ratified and included in the Constitution because several of the colonies did not trust the federal government to abide by the duties and authorities contained in, Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution.

The first ten amendments were ratified to further protect the unalienable rights of the people mentioned in the Declaration of Independence from the federal government. Each amendment states what the government may not do.

The Second Amendment had nothing to do with foreign invasions, but for the people to be able to protect themselves against a tyrannical government.

Mr. Thompson states, “Moreover, well-armed insurgent militias have rarely overthrown well-armed tyrants.” Apparently, he has forgotten that the Revolutionary War was exactly that.